I'm here for you
by SnakeWithWings
Summary: A moment of bonding between Eve and Selene. Set right after Awakening. I do not own the characters but I wish I did. I only own the story in which i play with these characters like dolls. Please be gentle, I'm new to the fanfiction world.
1. Chapter 1

_Set after Awakening._

Selene

They had been occupying the safe house for three days now; she and her child. The safe house was a sort of apartment so they could rest and plan the next move. Not much had happened in the three days they were here. Just three days since they had escaped Antigen. Just three days when Selene found out she had been in a coma for twelve years. Just three days when she found out she had conceived a daughter, who had been taken from her and raised away from her. Just three days since she had lost her Michael. How long will she continue to discover any more information? She didn't recognize this world or any of the new dangers it would contain. Selene was constantly on edge for more reasons than one.

The girl had been strangely quiet since that day on the roof. The first day they made it here, the eleven year-old had wandered around the apartment investigating everything. The few books that were here had captivated her attention and she spent a good portion of her waking moments with her eyes glued to their pages. The stories were a random collection, some classic, some mysteries and thrillers, a few folktales and legend books, and some historical archives. The girl had explained that her caretaker at Antigen, a woman named Lida, had taught her how to read.

Lida had taught her a few other basic things as well; including some how to tell time, a little bit of math, one section of science (to explain the goings-on in the lab), and some basic grammar. The only thing the young hybrid seemed the most engrossed in was reading. Books had been her only entertainment while she grew up in Antigen. Despite Dr. Lane's protest, Lida had convinced him to let her have _something _to do when she wasn't out of her room for testing. Giving her a few books was the least hazardous thing they could let her keep.

When Selene and the girl first arrived they had been too tired to do or say anything else. They had both found the nearest room and collapsed into the bed. The second day Selene realized she didn't even know her name. While she was reading, Selene approached and asked her. The girl replied with Subject Two and Selene blanched, "Did they not give you any other name?" The child shook her head. Selene's heart twisted with concern.

"No. They told me to never ask why either. I was never allowed to ask questions unless Dr. Lane said I could." She confessed. Selene was very stunned to say the least. What had they done to this poor girl? Was her mental state more damaged than she thought?

"Lida didn't call you anything else?" Selene asked nervously. The subject of her old caretaker was already a delicate one. While they had been leaving Antigen they passed a room that held Lida's body. Selene didn't even pay attention to the body until she noticed her daughter was walking towards it with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. Her voice sounded broken when she told Selene that this was her caretaker. Selene thought that her child hated everyone in Antigen. Lida had apparently been the only one to treat her like the young girl she was and not an animal. Selene and David ended up having to tug her gently towards the exit; there were more guards coming for them.

Her daughter pursed her lips. "Sometimes she called me 'little one', but that was when I was a three. She wasn't very talkative when she was around Dr. Lane. I think he scared her too." She glanced at the book in her lap but her eyes didn't follow the lines. She seemed to be in deep thought. "She never interfered when Dr. Lane was around. Whenever we were done with a test or examination she would carry me back and help me fall asleep. It didn't matter how scared or hurt I was, she would stay with me until I fell asleep." She said softly.

Selene felt an intense feeling of protective rage and shame. What she wanted to do was take her girl in her arms and hold her close. Whisper in her ear that she would protect her from all of that and that she would take care of her as long as her heart continued to beat. But she couldn't, her arms felt glued to her sides. It was clear that the hybrid missed Lida and that she had been the mother-figure in her life; she had done a good job too. She had shown and given her affection. Lida had held her and seen her first steps. Lida had comforted her without hesitation when she was hurt or scared. Selene could never be the perfect mother that Subject Two had no doubt pictured her to be. She could never be Lida.

_At lease I can do something Lida never could. Protect her. It doesn't matter that she raised her since she was a baby. She could have done more to keep her safe but she didn't because she was afraid. Unlike Lida, I would never let her get hurt. If anyone touches her, I slaughter them. _ Selene thought. Something else also needed to be done.

"Would you like to pick one?" Selene asked her daughter. "A name I mean." She finished.

The blue eyes that reminded Selene of her lover grew large and surprised. Subject Two had never had someone give her a name. She had always thought to herself that she could give herself a name. Just as a little secret that she would keep to herself; she would call herself an actual name when no one was around. She use to have an entire list in her head but now her mind was drawing a complete blank. What would she like to be called? Feeling slightly embarrassed, she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure." She answered in a meek tone.

Selene felt an even stronger need to be closer to her. She sat down next to her on the sofa and spoke in a tone she hoped wasn't to flat. "I can think of only one. In human folklore they have stories of how the world and everything in it was created. The first man was Adam and the first woman was Eve. You are the first hybrid child that was conceived. Since you are also a girl I think you should be called Eve." Selene explained. It did seem like a reasonable name. "I, for one, also think it is a lovely name. You're also lovely too." Selene admitted. She wanted her daughter to feel like she was more than a hybrid. Selene wanted her to know that she was no longer an experiment; she was child with a mother that would do anything to see her happy. She remembered when she was a small child and she had loved hearing her mother call her pretty. Perhaps her own little girl would feel the same way.

The girl was silent for a few awkward moments before she said in a hushed tone, "Eve." She smiled a surprisingly gorgeous smile. "I like it too." Then she contemplated about what her mother had also told her. She had called her pretty. Well, she called her lovely but the feeling was there all the same. Hearing her mother say that made her heart lift; no one, not even Lida, had said such a wonderful thing to her. Eve leaned into her mother's arms willingly. Eve wanted to show her that she was grateful for the name and the protection her mother gave her. Her mother may not be very emotional but at least with her, Eve felt safer than she had ever felt in a long time.

The Death Dealer was very surprised when her daughter embraced her. Despite her closeness with Michael she was still not comfortable with most situations involving sudden affection. Unsure what to do she wrapped a slender arm around Eve's shoulders. Eve relaxed in her arms and Selene felt her normally stoic heart burn with tenderness and joy. Her daughter trusted her. She didn't think she was cold as when they had first met. The mere thought made her feel a tad more confident in her abilities as a maternal being.

Eve felt her mother press her pale lips to her head, "It's been such a long time since I've taken care of someone. I can't even remember the last time I've taken care of myself." Her mother confessed. Eve tilted her head; listening to her mother with all her attention.

"The life I lived before I met your father was a wretched and horrid one. The worst part is; I didn't even know it. I was an unknowing slave to the vampire who turned me. He lied to me and betrayed me. He was also my immortal father-figure. When I found out it was him who destroyed everything I once loved, it was the biggest slap to the face I've ever received." Selene declared bitterly. "It wasn't just me; others had followed him blindly as well." The Death Dealer continued. "But I was the worse; I was as cold and ruthless as you've seen me now." She finished gravely.

Eve gazed at her mother with an unreadable expression. The girl's blue eyes were passive looking and she seemed to be thinking about what her mother had just told her. Trying to piece together the story by herself. Selene felt a bit of dread; perhaps her daughter's already precarious opinion of her would worsen. It certainly didn't help that Selene had forcefully bitten her when they first met. Selene was not one for good first impressions but the way she had treated Eve, even if she wasn't her child, was just plain atrocious.

Eve's petite arms didn't leave her waist. "It looks to me like you've changed since then." She said with a surprisingly adept voice. "You're not cold, you may seem hard-hearted but you're not; not really." Her youthful tone of voice graced Selene's ears. "I want to find him just as badly as you. We need to stay together if we want to have any hope of catching him." Eve declared.

One thing Selene discovered about her child was that she was unusually intelligent. Of course she was new to the world and didn't understand how it worked but she still tried her best to comprehend. Most of her knowledge had come from the books that Lida had given her. Eve was observant and listened well; she chose to stay inaudible most of the time and instead looked and listened. Storing every little bit of information in her brain. Selene wondered vaguely what she would have had to offer in the lab for her astuteness. No doubt her isolation in the lab had kept her mind a blank slate. She was keen but she was also innocent. She didn't really know about all the evils in this world. Evil's that would wish harm on a tender mind like Eve's. Selene supposed this was what being a mother was, not just taking care of them; you were a line of defense and security for them.

"I know. I also want you to know that no matter what happens; I'll protect you. If we never find your father-. " Selene hesitated on this statement, not even wanted to think it possible." –if we never find your father; I won't leave you. I love your father but I love you too." Selene's grip on her daughter turned possessive. "When I was a human I dreamed about having a child. Whether they would be a boy or a girl and how I would raise them." Eve's mother felt her eyes turn watery when she thought about her old life as a mortal. "Once I was turned I was too focused on the war to even consider it. When I was with Michael we never really discussed it. I thought about and I'm sure he did too but the conversation just never came up." Selene grabbed her daughter's hands in her own.

"I can't offer you much. I can only offer you all the protection I've ever given anyone, a father who I know will love you with all his heart, and my own love. No matter how scarce it may seem; it's always there. I promise you." Selene was shocked by her own admission. The fact that she was so open and willing to share these feelings with someone was out of the ordinary. Though with Michael she was known to be open. Still, this gave her an odd sense; she had just poured her heart out to her daughter. To anyone else this would have been seen as a weakness. To Eve, it seemed like the most merited confession she had ever heard.

Eve leaned against her mother's shoulder. "I don't need or want anything else other than what you offered. It's all I've ever wanted; my whole life it's all I've wanted." Eve said.

Selene felt her heart swell in her chest with adoration. She had feelings of doubt when she started speaking to her child. What would she reveal? She feared it would make her seem weak or make her seem like a horrid mother. It didn't matter apparently, Eve did trust her and she did believe that her mother wasn't the cold-hearted killer she always seemed to be.

"I don't want you to be a perfect mother. I just want you to be here." Eve finished. Her head began to sag into Selene's shoulder. Her eyes were drowsy and when Selene looked out of the window she saw that it was nearly dawn.

The two of them had been keeping the schedule most immortals kept; awake by night and asleep by day. Selene and her daughter did not require a considerable amount of sleep. However, long nights and sometimes days of tracking Michael, avoiding enemies, and finding an adequate food source left them both rather fatigued. Even with David helping it was a tireless search and fight for survival.

As Eve began to drift off, Selene gathered her closer to her. "Go to sleep. We'll continue searching once evening approaches." Selene stated. The Death Dealer carried her over to a couch in the living room of the apartment. She placed her on the leather couch in front of the coffee table. Eve's eyes closed as she laid her head on the throw pillow. Selene settled next to her and kept watch over her until she was sure she was asleep. Once Selene heard her even breathing she brushed a strand of hair out of her face and walked softly towards her current room.

The room was an off-white color with no patterns or splotches of color at all. A bed and a work desk lay in opposite corners of the room. The room had the essence of an old car freshener. There was a great deal of dust when she first entered; now it was mostly spotless. Selene had carelessly tossed her duffel bag, filled with her toiletries and a change of clothes, underneath the bed. Her guns and weapons were laid out in a strategically placed arrangement. Each gun was loaded and each knife or other sharp object was sharpened to a fine silver point.

Never before had Selene felt such sereneness during such a noiseless instant in her life. Normally she would be on high alert; ready to strike at any assailant that came her way at a moment's notice. Now she just felt the need to follow her daughter's lead and curl into her comfortable bed and regain her strength with a well-earned rest and respite from the hassle of today and the last three days.

Sliding herself underneath the comforter, Selene let her body compose itself into stillness and comfort which would ensure her to be asleep in less time than usual; though Selene's gut told her not to let her guard down. She was ever on alert and ever perceptive; even if she was asleep. For the time being, she let her sensitive hearing travel through the house. Selene took in every creak from the boards as they settled in for the night themselves, the tiny scratches from the mice underneath the boards, the air conditioner humming just a floor beneath them, and her daughter's steady heartbeat.

Selene focused on that until she was lulled to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well I'm glad that you liked my first story. You all wanted the same thing, an update. I'm not sure why but I've decided to try and make it multi chaptered. I may just write up until they meet Michael before stopping. I have another story based on underworld that I was planning to be multi chaptered and I intend on finishing that one. Please check it out. But for now, here's chapter two!**

_FYI: Going to switch off between points of view for further chapters._

Chapter two

_Selene's POV_

If someone had told Selene that raising a child would be harder than facing off any lycan; she probably would have laughed or sneered or shot them. Most likely all of the above.

Now she wished she could have the wisdom of any person like that. She was just so confused about how to raise her daughter. The closest thing she had ever done in raising children was taking care of her nieces. This gave her little to no help considering her nieces had been six years old and not eleven. Also, one tiny but ever so important detail; she had cared for them in the 1400's. This was the 2000's by the Elders! How was a child this day and age even raised? Selene had only seen a few families in the city when she had ventured out there. They all seemed so calm and content around each other. The parents seemed to know exactly what they were doing and the children followed them everywhere. The oldest would take lead with one parent while the youngest would clutch the hand of their mother's. The babies would cling to their chosen parent and refuse to let go. At one point Selene walked away after observing a couple with a tiny, sleeping infant. They had a pleasure she never had. She had never held her child when she was so little and the thought alone made her heavy-hearted.

She felt like a horrid mother sometimes. Whenever her daughter tried to get her to talk about her past she would turn away and say that it shouldn't matter to her. Eve would stay silent for several long seconds before nodding. Selene felt a touch of guilt at this but she had already decided that she would never let her daughter know about her mother's dark past. Also when Selene left to the city to both try and get a lead on where Michael was and to find food and resources; she left Eve at the safe house sometimes. There were just days when the human Hunters were particularly abundant and Selene did not want Eve in the crossfire if anything happened. Not to mention the Antigen workers left from the carnage that would no doubt be searching for all of them. David was very good about keeping an eye on her while Selene was away.

Eve was so quiet and shy it was hard to get her to talk like she had last night. Selene did her best to keep her happy and occupied whenever she went away. Every time she went out into the city she picked up a book or puzzle she thought Eve would find interesting. Another thing about Eve, she loved puzzles; not just jigsaw puzzles but mind game ones, and others where you had to take them apart and put them back in a complicated matter. The Death Dealer could easily take apart and put a gun back together but these puzzles had her stuck. Selene didn't see the point with them and she could never understand how it could be so hard to put them back to the way they were! Eve had made her try one out and she fumbled with it for fifteen minutes before giving up. Her daughter had giggled and Selene secretly decided she would try it again just to get her daughter to smile.

The search for Michael was proving to be neither good nor bad. So far Selene had always encountered clues to where he was but every time she and Eve had arrived it seemed he had either moved on or was chased out. Twice she had to dispatch of Hunters who were prowling around the last place Michael had apparently been. The race was on to see who would find him first. Eve's ability to see through his eyes was a real stress-relief. Not only did it tell her where he could be, it assured her that he was alive.

_Eve's POV_

The outside world was as beautiful and scary as Eve imagined it. Lida had always told her stories about the outside world and she had made them all seem so fun. Sometimes, Lida even told her stories about family groups. Family, a word she had been so desperate to learn about in Antigen. Lida was the only one who would tell her whatever she wanted about a place she knew nothing about. Lida had also told her that she was an orphan. Any child that didn't have parents to take care of them was considered an orphan and was adopted by someone who could take care of them. Eve never really considered herself an orphan since she could at least feel her mother close by.

Lida treated her like she was her mother. It was Lida who had fed and played with her ever since she was a baby. Lida had been the one to sooth her damaged skin and broken bones. She wiped away the tears from her face when Antigen's tests and assessments became too much for her.

Dr. Lane was a monster; a very cruel monster that only showed his ugly side to her. As she grew up in the lab, she noticed that Dr. Lane was charming and inviting around others and it perplexed her that no one else could see his true self behind a mask of civility. Around her, all of that supposed kindness disappeared. He would hold her down and inject her with stuff that made her skin burn, force feed her foul-tasting substances, threaten her life, and just try to break her spirits. During some days though, she preferred Dr. Lane over his assistant Quint.

Quint was a bully, worse than that; he was Dr. Lane's puppet. Lida's stories about the world were light and happy and Quint's were cruel and mocking. Anything that Dr. Lane wanted carried out, Quint would do with pleasure. He never really left her alone when she wanted him to and Quint was often a little too happy to hold her down while tests were completed on her. He had this gleam in his eye that scared her ever since she was a baby.

Eve had finally accepted that they were all dead. She had had a nightmare last night about Quint and Jacob coming back for her. She had not told her mother in fear of seeming weak by letting something that wasn't even real frighten her.

Selene. Her mother. Okay, so she was nothing like she expected. So far nothing had been like she expected. In all honesty what was she expected in the first place about a world she had never seen before or people she had never met. Eve guessed it was Lida's stories about her own mother and how kind and thoughtful she was to her when she was a child. Eve had made up a sort-of imaginary mother in her head. She imagined her to be beautiful and sweet, someone who was always smiling and adored her child very much.

Selene was certainly not the least emotional person she's ever met but it was still odd coming from someone who was supposed to take care of her. Then again, it was quite amazing having a mother who had lived so long and been through so much. The reason she seemed so cold was because the world was constantly fighting her. She had seen it all and nothing really fazed her. Her mother was very beautiful and intimidating. The passion to find her father and protect those she cared about was something Eve really admired. Eve hoped she could grow up to be even half as good as she was at fighting. Then she would never have to worry about being hurt ever again.

_Selene's POV _

She had told Eve that they would search for her father and she intended to do just that. The two of them had traveled at night in and around the city. It was rather close to dawn and you could start to see slivers of gold and red peek over the buildings. So far they had found nothing to indicate where he could have been. Besides scattered police reports and Detective Sebastian's files and reports that he sent to them, they had no direction to where he could have gone off. Eve would occasionally see from her father's eyes and they would immediately head off. David would accompany them occasionally. He knew the city very well and could track just about anything both above and below ground.

Eve stayed glued to her side the entire time. Her eyes would scan her surroundings every now and then to take in what she was seeing. Selene imagined it was slightly overwhelming for her as she had never been surrounded by so many buildings and lights before. They saw an assortment of things on their patrol of the city. Sleeping homeless men, night joggers, vendors, stray dogs, night time street performers, hundreds of blinking lights, and the Danube River. Eve seemed to memorize all of this and Selene suspected she would be asked about it later.

"David, have we checked every single spot in the city?" Selene asked. David shook his head. The young vampire was just as discouraged as she was. Even though they had not been searching for too long he knew that the chances of finding Michael in this huge city were slim. Especially since he was being hunted by Antigen as much as they were.

"We've check everywhere we could. The only spots we haven't checked are those with known lycan populations. The vampires kept tabs on those places until they were thought to be extinct. We avoided them anyway." David informed the Death dealer. "Since it would seem they are not extinct after all, we could get close to them but it would be dangerous. Even if the humans begin hunting them again it would most likely just begin another Purge." He finished. His face was a mask of irritation and worry.

Selene thought about it. On one hand, it was possible Michael could be occupying in a space where lycans use to be if they had scattered themselves. On the other hand, the lycans could still be there and that would just spell danger for all of them. Unless Eve went along then they would never know. As much as she didn't want her girl near anything threatening, she also wanted to bring back her Michael as well. Eve needed her father and Selene needed the only man she had ever loved. Fate had finally given her a real family to replace the one she had lost. Going to all of these supposed lycan territories could be dangerous but what choice did they have? It was a risky chance but it was one they were just going to have to do.

"It will be risky business but I think we should at least scope them out." Selene told her two companions. "We don't infiltrate unless we know it is abandoned and even then we stay on our guard." Her chestnut brown eyes were hard and serious as she spoke. "We stay together. Eve, I want you either by my side or David's whenever we're by the dens. You do not go off alone even once. David, how many of these dwellings are there?" She inquired. If there were less than five then they could probably start today but if there were any more they would have to postpone and plan a route. It also depended if they were spread out or closer in proximity to each other. Not to mention the possible amount of lycans or patrolling Hunters they would encounter.

David nodded. "I can get a map of all the areas. My father will not appreciate it but it's an important cause after all." He said, almost smiling. His eyes had a brief flash or defiance in them before it disappeared and was replaced by determination. "I never thanked you for saving my life. I also didn't thank you for giving me this gift, this experience." David held out his hand to a ray of sunshine. The once deadly ray was now harmless on his skin. The feeling of being able to walk out in the sunlight, a vampire's worst enemy, was a feeling like no other. Selene admired his adaptability as well as his bravery. She was glad she had saved his life. Not only did he help them defeat Quint and Jacob lane, he assisted them in finding Michael. Selene had a brief reasoning that this was all against his father's wishes.

"You don't have to thank me. You gave your life to protect my daughter and fight for your coven. It seemed the best way to repay you." Selene assured him. He did deserve it after all. How many vampires were she going to meet that would put their life on the line for a traitor and her hybrid daughter? Not many or even a little she guessed.

_Eve's POV_

Eve didn't want to think about David's coven too much. The dark underground dwelling space was not a very nice memory for her. The dark walls had been imposing and unwelcoming. The vampires living there, though they never spoke to her, had given off strong vibes and hostile glares that let her know she was not welcome. Her mother had admitted to her why she seemed so cold and uncaring. Lycans had attacked the coven and kidnapped her. Thomas reminded her of Quint in some ways due to his menacing stance. How Thomas and David were father and son she couldn't wrap her head around. David was brave and was kind to her. Thomas was cowardly and went out of his way to intimidate her. The young hybrid child guessed that she and her mother were different in many ways too. Her mother was calculating and always had a plan no matter what. She was courageous and didn't let anything stop or scare her. Eve was shy and a little timid. She was still discovering this world her mother lived in. She would never admit it, but if she ever went back to Antigen she would probably have a panic attack.

Her mother grabbed her hand. "I think its best we go back to the safe house. We'll figure out where our next search will take place and make a plan from there." She said to David.

David nodded and the small group made their way towards the parking garage where they left their rented car. They hardly drew glances as they made their way on the sidewalk. It was still very early and hardly anyone was awake. The occasional man stared after Selene and a trio of early rising girls smiled at David. The two day-walker vampires gave no notice to the humans. Eve drew away from people every time they passed someone. She had no idea how to act around others and the last thing she wanted to do was talk to a stranger.

The car they rented was black (of course) and was much more comfortable, and safer, than the white van she had ridden in when she first escaped. Plus the van her mother had flipped to stop Dr. Lane from escaping with her. She liked to stare out the window as they drove. It was nice to see everything moving past them and try to catch little things with your eye. She challenged herself sometimes to pick out tiny details; things that a regular human could never pick out. It could be a little rat poking its head out from grate in the street, a cat hiding under a dumpster, or a small boy poking his head out from his window on the nineteenth story of a tower.

There was never anything for her to do in Antigen; always the same thing every day. It actually came to a point where the daily injections were less scary and more boring. Lida had played games with her but those were all the same too. Whenever Eve had tried to make her own game, Dr. Lane had chastised her against it. She never knew why and it irritated her to no end.

She really had no freedom to do anything while she was in Antigen. Now she had freedom and she had her mother. Eve knew she should feel happy and she was. It was just all so sudden and all of this was so new to her. She felt so stressed sometimes when she thought about how much she had to learn.

They finally arrived back at the temporary home and they all went inside. David and her mother went into the next room while she went upstairs to finish the new puzzle her mother had given her yesterday. If she started it now she could figure it out.

_Selene's POV_

The vampires sat across from each other. Selene hung her head slightly still going over what she had just decided. She had yet to think over just what she had just agreed to.

Should she take Eve along? Finding Michael without her would be twice as difficult. However, putting her in reckless danger would only further drive herself to believe she really was a bad parent. Had Viktor felt this way before he….Forget that, now was not the time.

Selene stood up and addressed David, "Get those maps as soon as possible. We need to plan and act soon if we want to win this race to find him." She pinched the bridge between her eyes. Tomorrow night could prove taxing and eventful for all of them.

"We're going to those spots and Eve is coming with us. Finding Michael without her will be very challenging. She stays by us no matter what." Selene stated firmly.

David nodded in agreement and headed towards the door. "Everyone would be asleep by now anyways. I'll get in and get out. Not even my father will notice." He let the door close shut and Selene watched from a window as he raced towards the woods. No doubt his father would be waiting for him but she trusted that David could hold his own against the conceited leader.

If only Selene had as much confidence right now. It would certainly help her sleep. _Oh, Michael, I hope you're trying to find us as hard as we're trying to find you._


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone. Here is chapter three.**

(Just to be clear. Selene is dreaming right now.)

Selene was dreaming; she knew it to because she didn't feel the normal amount of alertness and dourness that she usually did. She was in a light blue and stark white room. It was filled with an assortment of stuffed animals in one corner and had a brown dresser in the other corner. The area itself was small but cozy, very comforting actually. Right next to the door was a grey crib.

Selene approached it cautiously but with a sense of deep excitement. Something deep inside of her, a part she felt no control of, was grower more self-assured as she approached the sleeping pen. Inside of the pen was a tiny bundle wrapped in a blanket. A head of dark, soft hair poked out. A baby was inside the crib. A baby that looked just like Eve would have.

The baby opened its blue eyes and stared right at Selene. The little one smiled and held out its arms toward her, reaching eagerly.

"Mummy! Mummy!" A girly voice cried out.

Selene woke with slight start. Her body jumped involuntary and she immediately reached for her gun next to her on the nightstand. This was more instinct than anything else. Her old life as a Death Dealer had not left her even after all this time. Her old instincts and habits had started to resurface lately ever since she found out just how bad the war was against the vampires.

Her thoughts went back to her dream. Had she been allowed a glimpse into the past? Had she been given a taste of what it would have been like if she had been able to raise Eve? It was strangely real but she even knew it was dream even when nothing changed. Her demeanor was too calm, the atmosphere too tranquil, and she felt like nothing was like she remembered from the previous night. Still, she couldn't deny the image of her child as a baby and smiling at her while calling her 'mummy' wasn't an unpleasant thought. _Why didn't I try to hold her back? Not once have I held her as a baby. I had a chance in my dream and I blew it._

Her mate, Michael would no doubt feel the same feeling of dismay. They had both missed so much. The two parents were gifted with a daughter but were shunned with the pleasure of raising her from birth.

Her heart became heavy when she thought of Michael and that he wasn't even here to help her now. His well-natured grin, his scruffy but still attractive hair, and his earthly sent were just a few things she missed. Every day she was away from him she felt her heart tear a little more. Selene stayed strong though, for herself and her daughter. Eve needed to see her mother was still pushing on and wasn't submitting to her heartbreak yet.

She knew without a doubt Michael would love his daughter and take to parenthood a little faster than she did. He still possessed most of his humanity and his feelings of empathy would no doubt be what Eve needed. The hybrid had always had a more caring and forgiving nature than most immortals. Old age and war experience made many immortals as stoic and unfeeling as she was. Selene hoped that the two most important people in the world to her didn't end up that way. Michael was too good and Eve was too innocent. Perhaps now she had an even bigger reason to end this war.

_Eve's POV_

Mother and David were hunched over the table which was covered with maps of the city. The young hybrid wished she could help but she didn't know her way around the city like they did. She sat on the comforter in the living room instead and worked her fingers over her newest puzzle, a wooden burr one in the shape of star. Eve wondered if her father liked to do things like this.

She had only seen memories of her father through her mother's eyes. He had an athletic build and dirty blond hair, of course his eyes where the same as hers. She saw him in his hybrid form; it wasn't different from hers. His skin was much darker and his eyes were jet black, not to mention he had a sort of 'small muzzle' but besides that they were quite alike. She hoped that she would meet him soon.

Mother had given her strange look when she saw her this morning; like she was trying to see past her and into her brain. Eve asked her if something was wrong and Selene had shaken her head. She assured her that nothing was wrong and that she had not slept very well last night. When she asked her if she had a nightmare her mother said 'no' again and helped her with her puzzle until David arrived.

Even from here Eve could sense the urgency and tenseness in the adults' general direction. They were all worried about their upcoming investigation of the lycan dens. She felt a mix of foreboding and eagerness. They had scoured the city except for the territories and the chance that her father could be there was too great of an opportunity to pass up. Not to mention she could show her mother that she wasn't as timid and frightened as she seemed.

"There are about seven spots we have to infiltrate." She heard David's voice from the kitchen. "Every one of them has been reported to have no activity." He also stated.

"Yes, but those reports were done over five years ago. Who knows how many could be crawling with lycans by now?" Selene said with grim seriousness.

David sighed and tapped his finger on a section of the map. "This one is regularly patrolled by guards so the chances of us finding lycans are impossible. It could also mean Michael would not be there. Should we cross it off?" The young man asked.

Selene stared at the spot for a brief moment. "Yes, however, if we do not find Michael in any of the previous spots then I will go there myself and do a quick search." She stated firmly, not leaving any room for argument. David nodded silently and went back to observing the map.

Eve listened to them with open ears. How long would it take to search for Michael? Would her mother really go off on her own if all else failed? Eve knew that her mother was determined but she never knew the full extent.

_Selene's POV_

They set off as soon as possible. Of course many of the ranges were in a very secluded spot away from human eyes. As it turned out, two of the territories were in run-down buildings long forgotten by the city. The old superstructures had peeling paint, broken pipes, and were littered with trash of all sorts. Warnings from city officials advised the citizens to not enter the buildings. Fortunately, they were not considered citizens.

Even if there turned out to be no lycans the whole structure of the buildings was a danger. A falling beam or sinkhole in the floor could appear out of nowhere and injure someone. Selene looked at David and Eve.

"Lycans or no lycans, both of them are structurally unsound in many places. Stay close and watch your step." She stated. The trio set off into the constructions and started the beginning of their search.

It proved to be a bust with both of the general area. No sign of life in any corner of the buildings besides the countless rats and spiders they ran into every time they opened a door. Eve shuddered as she watch the pest and arachnids scurry for cover whenever the predators entered their domain. She could imagine their fear at suddenly seeing strangers like them after being undisturbed for so long.

The group left both buildings almost as quickly as they entered. Cobwebs stained their shirts and shoes as they exited. David tried to make the situation better with a lighthearted comment. "Could have been worse; it could have been haunted." He said in an attempt to get the two girls to smile. Eve gave him a confused look and Selene gave him a warning glare and the vampire kept silent for the rest of the journey to the next building.

The next wasn't as filthy or damaged but it did have a strangely creepy vibe to it. It was an old Victorian fashion structure that looked like it had once been a hotel. It stood two stories, not counting the basement, and it had an overgrown garden in the front. It looked like it had once been a bustling service once. Now its foundation was cracked and the walls were busted and torn like open wounds. David and Eve exchanged a look and hesitantly followed Selene inside.

Selene sent the two of them off to check the bottom floor and the basement while she took the top floor and the roof. As with the last building they found nothing to obtain their interest. Except for what _might have been_ a human skull lying on a divan, Selene didn't locate any clues to give her a hint that someone had been here. The skull was dirty yellow and filled with bugs anyway; it was too old to have been recently put there.

After each room was checked she descended to the bottom of the hotel stairs to locate her companions. She trusted David to keep Eve safe to whatever may be lurking in the once-decadent hotel whether it is a rotten floor support or a lurking lycan.

_Eve's POV_

This location was undeniably the most unsettling; even if there weren't any dangers in here. There was this chill in the air and this feeling that you were always being watched. Every time she looked around she couldn't find anyone besides David. Was there someone living in this hotel even after it had gone to waste? Who in their right mind would do that?

_Selene's POV_

She found the two of them rooting through the cellar. Already they had a thin layer of dust and dirt on their hands and clothes. David looked up as she entered through the open doorway.

"We haven't found much. There are some lycan tracks in the darkest part of the basement but they're very old and hardly noticeable; everything looks as dusty as they left it." David told her. "I think we can cross this place off too." He finished.

Once again, they set off to their next destination. A large alcove set into an old dam in the woods. The drive there wasn't too long as David took an opportunity to introduce Eve to different types of music. He changed from station to station, telling her about the songs and bands and what genres they all were. Eve listened to them all with interest and occasionally asked him to go back to one station. Selene wondered how big (or little) her music experience really was.

Like before they found nothing and all of them began to find this pattern slightly irritating. Eve and David were both tired and it showed it their eyes. Selene knew she was going to have to stop soon. "One more site and we'll call it a night. We all need to feed soon anyway." She stated. The part about feeding was an afterthought. Luckily, David had stashed a few 'borrowed' blood packs from his coven into the little fridge back at the safe house.

They reached their destination, once more it was in the woods and it was an old barn with multiple surrounding shacks. The evidence that this was a lycan hangout was obvious. Bones of multiple animals lay strewn all over the patched and brown grass. Fur and blood clogged the weeds and woodwork on the barn and shacks. Not to mention there was a dead man lying naked on the ground just in front of the barn. His body was bloated with gas and his skin was peeling off in hunks. The stench from him was not the worst thing Selene had ever smelled but it was enough to make her gag. David and Eve both covered their noses and turned away.

"I think Hunters might have gotten here first." David coughed out. His eyes observed his surroundings alertly. One of his hands gripped Eve's shoulders protectively. Even though it might seem empty there could still be dangers around them.

They quickly checked each shack. Nothing and nobody was found, not even another body. Rusted tools and skinny mice had long taken over the splintery wooden houses. Besides a slight scare when a crow shot out of the door as soon as they opened it, they didn't have any more things to look out for. The only place left was the barn.

Selene switched to Death Dealer mode in an instant. Her eyes turned an icy white-blue color and she started towards the barn. "Everyone stays together. Keep behind me and keep your eyes open." She commanded sternly. The trio entered the barn with little trouble; most of the door had been burned away. The interior of the barn was far past its prime and had obviously seen better days even then.

Pieces of fallen supports and frames lie on the ground; while rotten hay and wood was already growing spores. Stables where you might have once kept riding horses where all but diminished. The lofts have all rotted away and looked like they couldn't even support a small child. The entire place was falling apart by its own hinges.

"We should search one side at a time." David suggested. Selene nodded in agreement and they walked towards the broken stables. Despite it falling apart it was still surprisingly dark; not just because the sun itself was disappearing either.

David went off and Eve came up next to her mother. "If we do run into a lycan, I can fight it." She stated with surprising firmness. "I could distract it too. What I'm saying is, if we run into trouble; I can help." Her daughter added. Selene was surprised with her statement and considered it for a few seconds. Of course her daughter could fight; it was just she had no real experience like her mother and David did. She could overpower any opponent with her strength but tactic was where she could be beat.

"I know you can." Selene answered her; the vampire's mouth feeling dry. "You are very strong and could overpower even me but you still need to stick close to me or David and follow our orders." Eve's ocean blue eyes glowered but she didn't raise an argument and she even helped her mother to clear some of the bigger pieces of the wood. Selene felt an impending sense in her gut. This little tiff already seemed like just the start of future disputes between mother and daughter.

As they made a path through the rubble a slow and steady growl reached their ears and the two older vampires tensed. The youngest member however, looked around eagerly for the source of the sound. If it was what she thought it was, then she could prove to both of them that she wasn't helpless.

Selene reached for the pistol on her hip as David brandished his silver knifes. The two of them formed a protective barrier around Eve, much to her displeasure. She backed away from them towards the wall. She would slip by them along the wall and towards the beast once their attention was diverted.

David and Selene stalked towards a wooden pantry where they heard the sound and both tense as they saw something poke out. A black nose with furry lips curled past the gums to reveal long white fangs. A fuzzy brown head poked out and looked at them with fearful and suspicious brown eyes. It barked once and darted past them and out of the barn. David cursed under his breath and put his weapons away. "Just a dog; probably came here after everyone left." He said.

Selene sighed and looked back towards Eve. She was shocked to see that her eyes had changed to their hybrid black with a blue ring and she had her claws out. Almost at once Eve shut her eyes and opened them to reveal them to be back to be more like Michael's. Her claws retreated back into small nails and she seemed to calm down. She had been waiting to strike like them. Despite her mother warning her to obey orders and listen to them.

"Can we go? I'm really hungry." Eve spoke. Trying to save herself from what she was obviously about to do; disobey her mother. Selene narrowed her eyes but decided it was best to save it and wait until they reached their temporary home. She nodded and turned to David. He was watching them with a lightly worried expression.

"What?" She practically snapped at him.

"Nothing." He uttered quickly. "Let's just go, we'll continue tomorrow night." He added.

They finished their scouting of the barn and went to the car as soon as they finished.

The atmosphere wasn't really tense the rest of the way back but there was this unspoken electricity between Eve and Selene. A single look from the werewolf hunter told the girl that she was in for a talk when they got back. The hybrid girl sunk in her seat and looked out of the window the rest of the way. It was more or less to distract herself from the upcoming storm.

**Well that's the end of this chapter. I think the next one will be through Michael's POV.**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well let's get back to the story shall we? I feel like you guys deserved an update so I worked on this as soon as I got up on Saturday morning. Don't expect updates to be frequent anymore because I have school and two jobs to juggle with now.**

Chapter 4

_Michael's POV_

Alright, so waking up naked and alone in a giant lab was not the best way to start your night. The first sensation Michael felt when he opened his eyes was that it was _fucking freezing!_ It was after that he realized that he was upside down! What the hell was going on!? Where was he? What was the date? Where was Selene?

_Selene. _At the thought of her, he tried hard to get himself out of the chamber. Where was she? Was she here with him? Was she even near? He could only remember being on the docks before feeling incredible pain in his chest and the feeling of him floating. Then he felt and knew nothing. Now he woke up to this? Whatever the hell this was.

Michael punched through the ice chamber he was in and ended up falling rather ungracefully to the ground. Despite the extreme cold he climbed to his feet in a slow fashion. His limbs cracked as he stretched them and a fine layer of frost shed itself off his body and onto the floor. He had no idea where he was. It looked like a doctor's office from hell. Lethal looking instruments littered the table and the bodies of uniformed officers lay on the floor.

Michael felt a stirring of hope. He had a feeling he knew who killed those guards. He started towards the door before he heard a huge rumbling. The huge bang made his sensitive ears ring and he stopped right in his tracks.

Oh shit! He didn't want to be around and meet who ever made that explosion. Michael darted out of the room and sprinted down the hallway. It was only when he was climbing up a flight of stairs he realized he still had no idea where he was. Panicked and directionally challenged; the hybrid went up flight after flight of stairs until he reached the roof. He leaned over the side to see a squad of police cars already driving towards the building. What's even happening?

He had no sense of time, no sense of direction, he had no idea where Selene was; also, he was naked! The building itself was surrounded by smaller structures. He coiled his legs and sprung like Selene had showed him onto the roof next to the giant lab. He kept leaping from roof to roof until he was well away from his former prison. Where and why he was here was not important. He had to get away from the city, somehow locate Selene, and get both of their asses out of here!

But first, get some clothes.

Michael finally reached the edge of the city and managed to make it to the ground without landing like a newbie. Just another thing Selene taught him. If only she was here with him; perhaps she would have an idea on what the fuck was going on.

Michael found a seemingly empty road and walked along the side of it in case he needed to duck in the foliage to cover himself. Even though it was late and the moon didn't even shine tonight he still wanted to be careful. Whether he ran into enemies or bystanders he was not in any condition to be seen. He just needed to get some pants and a jacket and he would be just fine. Things like underwear could be grabbed when he had the chance.

The city's lights and noises were fading in the background as he continued his trek away from civilization. Michael had no real idea where he was going or even if he should be heading this way. Right now, he just wanted to get away from the place he woke up in. If that meant getting away from the city, then so be it.

Miss self-assured would probably berate him for going off without having a set plan in his head but he could worry about that later. As soon as he found her; he would gladly let her yell at him just to see her and here her voice again. He missed her brown eyes and the way they would turn icy blue when she was hunting or fighting. He missed the way she would try to not smile even though she wanted too. Her lips would twitch and her eyes seemed to brighten. Selene had been so good to him and for him.

He had come from his old home depressed and trying to make a new life for himself in rainy, gloomy Hungary. They had spotted each other in the subway and their eyes locked in a few moments of unspoken tension and curiosity. He had hoped to at least learn her name before he departed to his job at the hospital. Instead, he had learned way more than he intended to in one night. Vampires and werewolves were very real and having a war right under everyone's noses. The extremely lovely woman he glanced at the station was a vampire and a death dealer. A vampire sworn to hunt down and kill all of the werewolves. The leader of said lycanthropes, named Lucian, needed his blood to create a hybrid of the two species. To top everything off, he and the vampire assassin had ended up falling in love. Unfortunately; that was apparently a big no-no in the immortals eyes.

Needless to say, everything just went on a downward spiral from there. Selene had discovered that the real traitor of the vampires was their very regent, Kraven. Not to mention she also found out that her immortal teacher and father figure killed her family and turned her into an unknowing slave.

His entire life changed in just two days and he was very content when no more trouble came their way after the defeat of Marcus. They had traveled like nomads from city to city and country to country. Always on the move and always alert even when everything seemed to be calm. Of course they had the occasional skirmish with vampire and lycan alike but they were small incidents and they were dealt with easily.

He was lost in his thoughts as he dreamed of Selene and considered his next move. Michael did not notice the truck behind him moving slowly until he noticed the headlights practically glaring off the gravel. He whipped around as the vehicle pulled up beside him.

It was a brown truck with a rather offensive bumper sticker on the front rather than the back like they were usually put. The window rolled down and a pair of suspicious but curious green-blue eyes stared right at him.

"Are you not from around here? Or is this just a thing you do on certain nights?" A gruff voice asked him. Michael thought the man was reacting pretty well to finding a naked man in the middle of nowhere at the darkest hour of the night. Out of all the people who could have stopped he supposed that this mortal wasn't the worse.

"No. I was out with some friends and they thought it would be 'funny' to steal all my clothes and leave me out here. We we're all drunk." Michael said. He hoped his lie was convincing enough. He had never had to do it much when Selene was around. Whenever he needed to though, he just pulled up stories and excuses he used from when he was human.

"Some friends you got there. Need a ride? I may have an extra pair of pants you could use too." He offered. Michael gave this man a once-over. He seemed like your Average Joe. An ordinary guy who just offered a helping hand whenever he saw it fit. He didn't seem threatening; they all did though. He would accept the ride, but he would be cautious. Michael would be ready to jump out at a moment's notice.

Sighing, he nodded. "Thanks." The hybrid answered. He climbed into the pickup and settled himself on the leather. The man handed him a pair of faded blue jeans that looked a size too big for him. Considering his situation; beggars couldn't be choosy. He pulled them on with some awkwardness and leaned back in the faded seat. As soon as he saw a sign that lead to a town he would get off and find somewhere to stay for the night before moving on.

"So where are you from?" His driver asked.

"Nowhere special. When we get to the first town you can drop me off." Michael informed him. He just wanted to land in a cheap hotel bed and sleep this all away. Maybe this was all really a dream and he would wake up somewhere with Selene under his arm.

"You sound American. Are you visiting with friends?" The man asked again.

"Yes I'm American. No, I live here. In Hungary" He answered.

"I'm not from the states myself but I'm not what you would call a local either." The man told him with a roguish grin. His teeth had faint yellow stains on them. "My name is Devin by the way." He told Michael.

"I'm Michael." The hybrid said quickly. He had his eyes glued outside his window. Looking for anything that looked like a town or anyone that looked like the vampire he fell in love with. Selene where are you? Surely she wasn't being held at the lab he escaped from. Who else could have freed him?

Devin's voice came back to him. "I'm surprised your friends left you out here at this late of an hour. After all, with those escaped lycans and all. Pretty damn dangerous to be out here, especially by yourself." Devin grunted. "Not to mention that one dangerous vampire they talked about. Personally I think that story was made up. They said this one could go out in the sun; the sun of all things!" The man laughed.

At once Michael felt hope and curiosity ensnare his mind. It had to be Selene! How many other vampires had the ability to walk in the sun? He wanted to question Devin more but decided he had to choose his words carefully so he wouldn't get suspicious. The last thing he needed was a loose end to tie up…

"The sun? Are they serious?" He asked Devin in a suspicious tone.

The driver turned to him and let out a snort. "Yup, they said it was a woman vampire, I think. Anyway, the police said they found footage of a person jumping from buildings and killing guards and causing explosions and all that." Devin waved one of his hands this way and that to emphasize his point. "All this happened at Antigen. The place that wiped out all the lycans and vampires in the first place. The police fear that the remaining immortals are fighting back in revenge." Devin fixed his stare on Michael in the sudden silence that occupied the car.

"I personally hope they win." He whispered. "The immortals I mean. After all, they never bothered us before shit hit the fan. The only reason they're doing it now is because we messed up their lives." Devin muttered seriously. "Sorry if I sound like an activist or anything it's just…my favorite cousin was turned by a lycan." He trailed off. "Poor bastard didn't last a minute when the Purge first started." Devin hung his head.

Michael listened to him intently. Of course he felt sorry for Devin but at the same time he was elated. If Devin felt sympathy for the lycans then perhaps he would be willing to help them. Michael was, after all, half lycan. He had to be careful about this too though. It wasn't like he could outright ask him, 'Would you mind helping me find my vampire lover? She's more than likely the vampire you were talking about.' You could never predict the reactions of mortals. He had learned that all too well when he first met Selene.

"Surely they were mistaken. Maybe they just saw something and thought it was something else." Michael told his companion. He would build up his questions slowly but surely until he was sure he could trust this man. You could never be too careful in this world; especially when you were considered an abomination by mortal and immortal alike.

"They thought that at first. Until they had footage of her creating mass carnage in the labs. She moved to fast to be a human. Even when they slowed down the camera's they could barely catch her." Devin spoke wildly. His eyes wide and he continued to wave one hand around. Shortly, he rested it back on the wheel. "Strange times we live in these days isn't it?" He asked Michael. He said it in a way that told Michael he expected no real answer from him. As if the answer was already spoken between the two of them.

Michael cleared his throat. "Would you help an immortal if you met one?" He asked him. When Devin gave him a strange look he added quickly, "I mean if they needed assistance of some sort would you try to give it to them? I won't tell anyone. I promise." He held up his hand. He honestly wouldn't. You had to value every ally you had.

Devin sighed and slowed down. Michael saw that they were getting close to a gas station. It looked dreary and abandoned. If it wasn't for the sleeping old man in the front window he would have assumed it to be bone-dry.

"I suppose I would." Devin told him in a quiet tone. "If they needed a blood bag and wanted to use me I would decline and get my gun. But if they needed shelter or something like that I guess I would help them." He concluded.

Michael smiled this time when he spoke again. "Could I ask you something Devin?" He questioned hopefully. This night was getting better with every second. If he could convince Devin to help him then he would be one step closer towards finding Selene. Once they reunited then perhaps he could assist them in getting out of the country.

Devin stopped outside the station and turned towards Michael. "Go right ahead." He murmured. He pulled the brake on the gear shift and stalled the car besides a rusted gas tank.

"I think I know who you're talking about. The vampire I mean." Michael began. He hoped Devin wouldn't react badly to finding out he had an actual immortal in his truck. Made even worse by the fact that he was two kinds of monster!

Devin smiled. It was a knowing smile but it had this strange underlying unpleasantness. Michael felt the immediate but well-honed instinct of fear. Oh dear God, he could tell that he had screwed up. He had walked right into a trap and he walked into it willingly. A little voice in the back of his head was already screaming at him: '_You fucked up man! You fucked up yet again!'_

"Really? Something tells me you two don't just know each other as friends. Let me guess, you were going to ask me to help you find your ice queen bitch and help the two of you get the hell out here." Devin smirked. His hands flicked a button on his armrest on the door and the lock on Michael's door clinched shut. "Sure I'll help you out! Hell I already know what she looks like!" Devin glared at him with malevolence. "Tall, dark hair, even darker heart; legs that go on for days and a body that could make any man sing to the moon?" Devin cooed mockingly.

Michael clenched his fists. The hybrid was ready to fight this man for his freedom. Not to mention he was going to make him pay for his comments about Selene. Michael pressed himself against his side of the vehicle and bared his fangs and raised his hands in defense. Already they were sprouting long black claws.

Devin laughed. "Not very bright are you lad? Then again if I just escaped from a lab that my sexy lover trashed trying to get me out I'd be disoriented too." Devin quipped. He suddenly pulled a gun out on Michael. The dark barrel stared him down in an inanimate challenge. "I couldn't believe my luck when I saw you walking down that road. I can bring you back to Antigen and gain myself some upper ground in that place." Devin exclaimed wildly. This was a man who was going crazy with the prospect of power in his workplace.

"Let's go quietly hybrid. Looks like your vampire will just have to get used to being alone from now on." Devin shrugged. Michael looked over at his shoulder at the sleeping old man in the station. Perhaps he could make a noise and wake him up. Devin waved a hand in front of his face, turning his attention back to him.

"Don't even think about it. That old man has been dead for about three days now. I checked myself. No one has ever stopped here since it's a trash heap. I knew it would be the best place to stop to get this going." Devin gloated. He cocked the gun to Michael's forehead. "There's an easy way and a hard way to this buddy. I'm being nice enough to give you a choice." He warned Michael. Devin's eyes were a steely blue green but he could still see the obvious hints of nervousness in them.

In fact the man seemed to be less confident now. Michael immediately changed his eyes to their trademark hybrid black and allowed his skin to change its hue from pale to dark blue. He was going to take every advantage he had now. If one of them was the fear of his enemies then so be it. He wasn't going to let some self-assured white-coat worker keep him from finding his Selene.

With a snarl Michael raised his legs and kicked off of Devin and broke the lock on the door, propelling himself out onto the ground. Devin gasped in discomfort and dropped his gun briefly as his finger pulled the trigger. The bullet echoed out of the chamber and hit Devin in his left ankle. The impact shattered the bones to pieces and tore the muscles and tendons apart in a painful and bloody mess. He yelled in pain and collapsed to the floor of his truck.

Michael picked himself up. His bloodlust sang to him as the first sent of blood hit his nostrils. He realized that he had not fed since he escaped. He had been too busy trying to get away from the city. Now he felt very hungry.

Devin looked up to see the hybrid Corvin was gone. Had the bastard run off? Surely he couldn't have just gone off like that and leave Devin here? Perhaps he went into the station to look for money or something else. Devin scanned the floor of his pickup, desperately searching for his gun. He had to get his weapon back; it was his only defense against that beast!

He never got the chance. The driver's door was ripped away as if it was a piece of cheap plastic. Two jet black eyes stared out at him with hunger. Devin stopped breathing for a tense moment. "Oh my Go-"He was cut off as the hybrid yanked him out of the car and sank his razor sharp teeth into his throat and tore it wide open. Devin croaked and gurgled, trying to form words but failing as his own blood rushed down his open windpipe and choked him.

Michael pressed his eager lips to the throat of the dying man and drank to his content. Any qualms he might have had about feeding on humans was gone for now. He was starving and he was desperate and he was angry. This man would die to replenish him. To Michael, it was just the way things went in his world now.

Blood dripped down his chin as he changed back to his human form. He made the somewhat extreme but ultimately wise decision to burn the bodies of Devin along with the old man in the station. In the meantime he would use the truck to get around. It wasn't like Devin needed it anymore anyhow. Also his clothes, he could certainly use Devin's clothes.

Once he had donned his new apparel (it had fit rather well); he dumped Devin's body into the station, blocked the door and set it ablaze with some gasoline he discovered in the back. He watched the burning from a safe distance to make sure it would spread. Luckily the flames contained themselves to the decaying station and died along with the old place as it burned to the ground. One more thing to add to his incredibly short list of blessings.

He started the truck up and maneuvered his way towards the road. If what Devin said was true about Selene trying to free him and all that about Antigen then he had to go back! What if she was still in the city looking for him? What if she was in trouble?! As much as he wanted to get away from this Antigen place he knew he had to go back. If they were looking for him, then no doubt they were looking for Selene as well.

A life of immortality didn't bother him once he got use to it. A life without Selene didn't seem possible to him. Michael would fight Antigen and every person they threw at him. It would all be worth it when he was reunited with Selene.

**Whoo! This was a bit difficult to write. You guys were probably hoping Devin would seem trustworthy right guys? Yeah, I almost made him an ally but then I realized that not all humans would be like Detective Sebastian. I'm not sure when the next update is going to be but all I can say is have a good week and hang in there.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I have been busy…sorry.**

_Eve's POV_

Her mother was upset and it showed in the daily going-on in the safe house. Her mother had explained to her that she was upset because if it had been an actual lycan then Eve could've gotten hurt. Eve had told her that she wasn't helpless and she could look after herself. Selene said that she didn't know or understand how to fight outside of raw strength. After that, Eve was under watch from both her mother and David and it was starting to wear down on her nerves. She didn't seem to have a single moment to herself.

Selene didn't understand that her daughter was trying to prove she wasn't some scared little girl. Eve didn't understand that her mother was trying to be a good parent and look out for her first and only child. It created tension between the two and it was palpable, even to David.

The next night Eve was taken to Sebastian's house and was told to stay there until her mother came back for her. Eve protested of course.

"Why can't I go?" She asked.

"The last few times we were lucky. We didn't run into anything but now I'm certain we'll run into some enemies. I don't want you near the danger." Her mother answered her.

Eve stared at her mother, confused. "But I'm strong! I can protect you and David. They won't suspect a child capable of anything. I can sneak attack them!" Eve said with hopeful eyes. Her mother sighed and shook her head. The Death Dealer parent wasn't budging.

"Eve, we're just going to scope them. If nothing's there then I'll come back and you can go with us." Selene assured her. Truth be told, she wasn't sure she would do even that. If Eve showed another rebellious streak like that and it turned out there was a lycan; then there would be problems. She was proving too much to be like her mother.

So Eve was left with Sebastian. The mortal was very nice to her and made sure she was entertained. It still didn't feel right that she was being left behind by her mother. Okay, so maybe she had been a little hasty to fight the 'imaginary lycan' back at the barn. She just wanted to help! She didn't want to be someone that her mother and David had to push back while they did everything!

"You're mother told me the real reason you were left here." Sebastian told her. His tone had no accusation in it; only pity. "I think your mother will let you do stuff like that one day. She just wants to train you first." The detective told the girl. Eve fiddled with a small, ceramic bird she took from a shelf.

"I hope so. But you weren't there. She was so angry and worried at the same time. I don't think she even wants me to pick up a gun at this point!" Eve exasperated. "I don't understand why she doesn't want me to do these things when it's all she could possibly teach me!" Eve practically shouted. She was getting frustrated and had to push back the feeling of her eyes changing. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sebastien lean away from her with a wary look.

Eve set down the bird and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry." She told him and leaned her face against her palm. "I wish she could trust me to handle myself a little more." Eve said while Sebastien listened quietly to the girl's troubles.

_Selene's POV_

"…She just stared at me with these sad puppy eyes and I couldn't even look at her." Selene told the silently following David. They had checked on the remaining areas and found nothing. Of course that wouldn't mean much considering they could be empty for a number of reasons. The younger vampire kept his ears alert for any signs of danger as well as Selene's personal guilt-trip. He knew that she wasn't taking to motherhood that fast but she was being too hard on herself. At least in David's opinion.

Eve begged her mother to take her but Selene still held her ground. She left her in Sebastian's house after that. When she left she dared to look back and saw her daughter staring back at her from the window with sad eyes; like she was leaving her again or something. Selene turned around and kept walking, she wasn't going to risk letting Eve tug at her heartstrings to get her way.

"I know I'm doing what's right. I can't risk having her do something like that again." Selene stated firmly. Besides, she needed to stay focused on finding Michael and, hopefully, finding him before anyone else did.

There next destination was like their last only without the barn. A large, grassy field with a cliff that looked over the immense city. Upon inspection of it they found an assortment of small openings on the side of the natural steep rock. They found nothing but dust and dried blood. On the wall was a rusted sign that stated: "Antigen personal only. Keep clear of area." It was obvious what had happened here even without any bodies. Whoever had been using this cave had not been very lucky.

"How many more spots do we have?" Selene asked annoyed. If they didn't find him by tomorrow night then she was going to turn this entire city upside down until she did. All of these locations were proving useless! She needed to find him and get out of here soon. All of the commotion from a few nights ago when Eve first escaped had put the entire city on edge. Of course Antigen didn't say that she and her mother had escaped per-say. If the authorities of the city dug to deep then they would find out what they had been doing and everything would go to Hell-in-a-hand basket. Or whatever the mortal saying was. All the general public knew was that there were a small handful of vampires and lycans left in the city.

"Not many. Selene, if we don't find Michael at any of them; what do we do then?" David questioned her. He was slightly afraid of the answer she would give.

Selene breathed out of her nose in irritation. "I'll turn this city over to find him. You can help or not. If not, then look after Eve while I'm gone." She told him. David stood straighter.

"You saved my life Selene. I'm not going to let you do this alone. I owe you that much." He stated firmly. Selene raised an eyebrow and nodded; impressed with his determination.

"Very well." She said.

_Eve's POV_

"She needs my help. I know she does!" Eve told Sebastian hotly. The mortal detective raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know that?" He questioned her.

"I just do." Eve answered stubbornly. Much like her mother would.

Sebastian stood up from his spot at the kitchen table. "Eve, I've seen what your mother can do. Trust me; she's going to be just fine. She has David to watch her back anyway." He assured her. Eve still wasn't convinced. Her mind told her to stay here where it was safe but her gut told her to leave and find her mother. Her heart was being pulled two ways. If she went there and found her mother and only her, she would be furious she defied her again. Selene would probably lock her up somewhere just to keep her still. On the other hand if she went and found her mother _and_ her father, they could finally be together for real.

Eve looked Sebastian straight in the eye. "I have to find her." She stated simply. The man turned to her and gaped. "You're crazy if you think I'm letting you leave. You're mother told me to keep you safe and that's what I intend to do." He told the girl firmly.

Eve winced. She didn't want to hurt Sebastian; she had hoped this would be easier. The man was still injured and in a cast from his encounter with Dr. Lane. The way he said he wouldn't let her leave didn't suggest he was afraid of her mother. It told her that he was loyal to her mother in a way and wanted to help her out so he could to receive justice for his lost wife. Eve looked down; she was going to hate this.

"You're a nice man Sebastian. I'm really sorry for this." Eve softly said. She rushed forwards faster than he could know and hit him over the head. He stumbled for a fraction of a second and fell to the ground. His head hit the ground and he was out. Luckily, he didn't fall on his bad arm. Eve quickly dragged him to the couch and placed a pillow under his head. As soon as she could, she would apologize to him when he woke up. He would forgive her hopefully. She just wanted to find her father and locate her mother so they could be together again. Getting what you want wasn't always an easy road.

Eve grabbed the house key locked the door behind her. She slipped the key back under the door then set off down the street. Sebastian would wake up soon. She didn't hit him hard enough to seriously hurt him. No doubt he would have a killer headache and he would be very reluctant to babysit her again if her mother asked. Eve hoped he would find relief for the pain and lay down long enough to become less angry at her.

In that moment, Eve hoped that he did not have her mother's phone number.

_Selene POV_

"Do you ever get the feeling that something's happening that you feel you should know?" Selene asked David out of the blue. The vampire was surprised at her question. He shrugged and shook his head.

"Not really. Why do you ask?"

Selene rubbed the nape of her neck. "I feel like something is going to happen. I can't tell if it's good or bad or if it will affect me greatly or not at all." The Death Dealer told her comrade. An odd feeling of foreboding had settled in her stomach this morning and had not left her since. Her instincts were going in all directions and she had trouble finding her bearings a time or two. Selene felt paranoid and she didn't like it. "Do you think Eve is alright?"

David gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'm sure she's safe Selene. Sebastian will keep an eye on her and I doubt she's giving him any trouble." David told her.

Selene looked away and scanned the field in front of them. After their search of the makeshift cliff dwelling, they made no more attempts to pillage or snoop anywhere else. Selene wasn't loosing hope yet, not while her heart was still beating and her daughter still longed to find Michael as much as she did. She would find her lost love, one way or another they would be together again.

"David, I want you to go back to Sebastian's. Just check on them, I'm going to keep searching." Selene ordered without even turning around. Past experience had taught her never to ignore gut feelings. Right now, her gut told her something wasn't right where her daughter was concerned.

The young man looked a little dejected but it passed before she could even confirm it. "Of course." He told her with the poise of a loyal soldier. David quickly turned and left the vampire in her thoughts and musings. Selene trusted him to follow orders and make sure that Eve was safe.

For now Selene thought of Michael again. Where could he possibly be? He could have blended himself in with the humans perhaps? He was always better at that sort of thing than she was. Maybe he was hiding somewhere far away from any contact whatsoever, like the forest. Or perhaps he had been captured already...

_Eve Pov_

Eve sped down the asphalt streets. She had taken a map of the city and stashed it in the pocket of her coat. A rather wise idea considering this entire city was huge and she had no idea where the nearest store even was. She still felt guilty about leaving Sebastian like that but he would understand when she found her father. She knew that her mother was already searching one location they haven't checked. Eve scanned her own map and decided to go to another and do some searching of her own. It would be really quick and she would be back before her mother or David even knew. Maybe she could beg Sebastian not to tell when she got back. Eve sighed in dejection; this plan seemed to go so much better in her head. Oh well, no turning back now.

Eve continued her little trek across the city until she reached a rusted warehouse. Like many of their other visits it seemed to be falling apart at its seams. Never mind that, she saw a few wild dogs giving her the evil eye when she got too close to their garbage hoard next to the building. So that section was off limits. Eve wasn't about to risk getting bitten by some potentially disease ridden dog.

The building itself seemed abandoned though; she couldn't pick up anything within the walls besides the scratching of mice claws. She could hear labored breathing from inside but it was most likely from a dying dog. The hybrid child had more important things to worry about than the animals. She had to look for clues that her father had been here or was even staying here! It would certainly explain why the dogs didn't dare step foot in here. Why would you go into the den of another predator?

A good twenty minutes of her time was spent rooting through trash and picking through pieces of rubble. Her fingertips were dirty and sore by the time she was done with one half of the warehouse. She still had this floor and about two more to go through after this. She would have to move fast if she wanted to beat her mother. Time was running out. Not to mention the entire place smelled like wild dog stench.

Her hybrid senses were much better and well-endowed than any vampire or lycan. She focused them only on finding traces of Michael Corvin. More than anything, she wished she could better control her ability to see through her parents eyes. It had helped on more than one occasion; why wasn't anything happening now? Eve shook her head slightly and pulled apart an old container to get inside.

She didn't even notice the figure watching her from the other side of the warehouse. At least not until he spoke up. "Care to explain why you're ripping apart my little dwelling child?" A husky tone directed at her.

Eve whipped around to see a man who looked to be in his late twenties staring her down. His skin was surprisingly tan and his eyes were pale brown. A thick Mohawk went from the back of his head and curled all the way to his forehead. The man looked her over with predatory eyes and his dirty hands curled in what might have been irritation or anticipation.

In that moment Eve knew she had screwed up, she had screwed up immensely. All she could do was gape like a fish before coming to her senses. "Where did you come from? Who are you?" She managed to blurt out.

The man looked up at the ceiling and put on an amused grin. "The strangest thing you know? I was just taking a nap underneath my mattress when I hear some commotion going on." He gestured towards a pile of old bedding where she had heard the labored breathing. "I look out and I see this little girl just tearing up the place! What's wrong with you kid? Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners?" He scolded her. He shook his head and ran a dust covered hand through his hair. "Kids these days."

Eve shook her head and blushed shyly. Well, better she found him than her mother. The poor man would've been shot by now. "I never meet anyone with my parents usually." She admitted. It wasn't far from the truth after all. She had only met David and Sebastian and they had been polite to her so she returned the favor. "I'm going to ask again; who are you?" She asked with a slight tone.

He gave her another once over and laughed. "Like I said, you kids have no respect for us adults anymore." He smiled at her and showed his teeth. "I'm Desmond. What about you?" He questioned.

Eve remained wary of Desmond. So far he didn't make any threatening moves towards her so she wouldn't either. Remaining a safe distance from him seemed to be the best and easiest choice she could make right now. Unless he got offensive she would stay passive; until then, he was safe from her teeth and claws.

"I'm Eve. I'm sorry for messing up your home. I'm looking for something." She informed him.

Desmond tilted his head. "Looking for what exactly? Maybe I could help you find it?" Desmond offered. Eve shook her head. She doubted he would really be any help. He probably had no idea what she even was. He was just a weird hobo who slept in warehouses and lived with dogs.

"No that's okay. I don't think it's here anyway." Eve told him softly. Right now she didn't care whether she found clues of not, all she wanted to do was get out of here. "Well, nice meeting you." She said tonelessly. So far this entire thing proved to be a bust. Not only did she waste time going through this warehouse, Selene would kill her for going off like this. Eve felt dread growing in her stomach as she imagined her mother's face when she came home to find out what Eve had done. "Bye." With that, she turned and started slowly towards the exit.

She was about to leave when Desmond grabbed her shoulder. "Wait, before you go, tell me something." He commanded sharply. His sudden change of demeanor gave her a little shock. Eve stared at him, confused.

"What are you?" He asked.

Eve drew her head back. "What did you say?" She tried to play dumb. Desmond had asked _what _she was. As if he could tell she wasn't a human. The scent of wild dog started to burn her nose as he came closer. Eve looked into his eyes and saw the hungry gaze of a wolf. Eve's eyes widened when she realized that Desmond wasn't human.

Gasping, Eve tried to pull away but his grip on her shoulder tightened and he pushed her until she was trapped between him and a wall. "You heard me you sneaky pup; what are you?" He leaned close to her and breathed in her scent. Eve turned away in revulsion.

"I smell lycan." He pulled away. "I also smell vampire." Desmond twirled a lock of her dark hair between his fingers. " Which is it pretty thing? Are you one of the other?" He inquired softly. His finger brushed her neck and shoulders. He pulled back the collar of her shirt ever so slightly. "No bite-marks, so you obviously weren't turned." He observed, his eyebrow creasing in confusion. "Are you going to answer me?" He threatened in a low voice.

Eve pushed him away from her as hard as she could and slipped away from him. "I'm not anything. I'm nothing, just leave me alone." She yelled. Instinct told her to run and get as far away as possible from Desmond. She felt her hair being pulled back and she was thrown away from the wall and into the middle of a garbage stash by the container she just destroyed.

Desmond advanced towards her. His eyes weren't brown anymore; they had a frightening cobalt hue to them. Claws at least three inches long sprung from his hands and he flashed yellow, sharp teeth at her. Desmond was a lycan. He was territorial and he was pissed off.

Eve stood her ground and snarled at him as she felt her own change taking over. Soon a full grown lycan and a young hybrid were facing off. The two of them circled each other like a hyena and lion would circle one another. Desmond roared and rushed forward.

Using gut instinct to guide her she fought Desmond and managed to claw him in the face as she dodged him. The male growled menacingly and snapped at her. He swiped on claw at her and sent her to the ground. Eve went between his legs and stood up to face his back. She jumped onto him and wrapped her legs around his midsection. Her small but sharp teeth tore his shoulder quickly. _I can do this. I'm the daughter of Selene and Michael Corvin. I can do everything they can._

Desmond dropped to the ground quickly and rolled over twice. His actions almost crushed the girl clinging to his back. He got back to his clawed feet and watched as Eve wheezed from the experience. Amused, he swaggered towards her and picked her up by her jacket. A wide flick of his wrist tossed the petite girl onto the brick wall. Her body made a sounding thump when it hit the ground. She groaned in pain and tried to get up. She was slowly changing back into her human form. This happened when she was about to black out usually.

The lycan stalked to Eve and put on foot on her back to make sure she didn't get up. He slowly started to change back himself. He gazed down at the bundle underneath his foot and tsked. "Just as I thought. A little weak piece of flesh with no training or respect. You kids are too spoiled these days. Discipline is what you need. It's all you'll ever need." He said with a wicked smirk.

He reached down and turned her bruised face towards him. "Poor little girl." He cooed mockingly. "Has the world not been fair to you? Do you not want to deal with it anymore? I can help you if you just want to get away from everything." He pulled her up until she was sitting halfway up. With a grin that could rival the devil's, he grazed his teeth along her throat. "Whatever you are, I'm sure you'll taste just fine." He told her. He licked his lips and opened his mouth wide.

Eve tried to hit him but her muscles were sore from being tossed like a child's toy. _No. Don't touch me! I'm so sorry mother, I shouldn't have run off. Please help me, please!_

As if her thoughts were heard, Desmond was yanked away from her and pulled up by a dark figure with black eyes. The thing ripped Desmond's head off before he could even yell in surprise. It landed with a thump next to in front of the beast. Eve staggered shockingly to her feet and backed away. The thing started to change back.

It had the constitution of a muscular man. Black hair turned to dirty blond and deep blue skin became pale before her very eyes. The man slowly turned and stared right into her eyes. Eve was speechless; the man had eyes the same color as hers. Her imagination was already running wild with possibilities. He was like Selene had described; could it possibly be?

"Are you alright?" He asked her softly. Even his tone had kindness in it.

Eve could only stammer out one thing. "A-Are you Michael Cor-Corvin?"

The man nodded and reached towards her. He cupped her cheek gently and asked again with more concern. "It doesn't matter who I am, I just want to know if you're hurt." He expressed worryingly. Then he stepped back when he looked at her eyes. "But yes, I'm Michael Corvin. How do you know that?"


End file.
